A powerful voice for liberty, Cai Guo-Qiang (1957, Quanzhou) was inspired by Chinese mythology in constructing a symbol of the risks engendered by the contemporary world. The Net (2002) is a metaphor for strategy and ruse, represented by yellow canaries flying around in a cage, a boat set out like a trap, and a computer offering free Internet access acting as bait. The rowing boat is a reference to a famous naval battle in the third century AD in which the general Zhu Geliang, lacking ammunition, took advantage of the fog to send a rowing boat toward his enemies who, on seeing it, fired off thousands of arrows. The general then gave the order to bring the boat back to the bank, thus collecting all the arrows.
By linking tradition and high-tech, Cai Guo-Qiang develops a kaleidoscopic theatrical idea in which notions of cultural integration and interaction as well as passive captivity come to the fore.